Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths among women with lesser prognostics. Current treatment options are chemotherapy with platinum and taxane based chemotherapy. β-Caryophyllene (BCP) an essential oil found in many plant species is known to possess an anti-proliferative effect.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and apoptotic role of BCP against ovarian cancer cells PA-1 and OAW 42.

Methods: The antiproliferative effect of BCP was determined by MTT assay and cell viability by trypan blue exclusion assay. Cell cycle and live/dead cell analyses were performed by flow cytometry to determine cell cycle distribution and apoptosis, respectively.

Results: Results of MTT assay proved the anti-proliferative effect of BCP in a dose and time-dependent manner in ovarian cancer cells. Cell cycle analysis showed that BCP induced S Phase arrest in OAW 42 cells. Results of apoptosis assay confirmed the apoptosis inducing potential of BCP in ovarian cancer cells. The apoptosis is mediated by caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage.

Conclusion: The results of our present study prove that BCP exerts its action partly by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ovarian cancer. We conclude that BCP is a potential anti-cancer agent.

Keywords: Beta-caryophyllene, ovarian cancer, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, PA-1, OAW 42.